The story I've heard (and retell often off-list) is that it comes from the
days of alchemy when the most potent acid was Aqua Regia, the King's Water,
a rather tough little mix of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid which was so
named because it was the most powerful acid, capable of zapping most
everything it came in contact with. Other acids were used, but they were
far less potent. Pt and Pd gained the appelation "noble" because no other
acid could effect them save for The King's Water, ie they were like the
nobles who were answerable to the king and noone else. I like the story,
and, true or not, will continue to tell it, quite happily accepting and
explaining that it may be borne of myth, but its a damned good myth. Does
anyone know whether it sprouted from the world of fact?
Bill
ps I find the first definition mentioned pretty smug and also pretty silly.
The medium doesn't enoble an artist, rather the artist enobles the
materials jseigel@panix.com (if we may mince words). Give Picasso some dog shit and he'll
produce great work; hell, give John Cage silence and look what masterpiece
he created out of 4 minutes plus something or other of it.
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